Zoo Keeper Day The Final Instalment

Following a delicious lunch with the head keeper and Alex I left the cool air conditioned café and entered the steaming hot sunshine outside. My clothes were now sticking to me underneath my full set of overalls.

Why did I have to do this on the hottest day of the year so far? Lol

I was hoping to perhaps enjoy a scatter feed of the apes next but I was taken on a tour of the Gibbons, Chimps, Orangs and Bonobos. To be honest I think we were a little off schedule which was confirmed with my next keeper handover.

The final part of my day as a keeper took me to the Bird section where I was introduced to a lean, bespectacled guy who had the speed of lynx when he walked. I was finding it difficult to keep up and that combined with the heat made me reach the executive decision that I wasn’t even going to try and keep up with him.

Instead I walked behind at a comfortable pace and he kept glaring over his shoulder to check I was still within sight. I thought he would soon get the picture that it was too hot to hurry but he didn’t. And I didn’t hurry either. Lol

He took me to the kitchens and I stood outside until he emerged clutching a bucket. I thought “Oh no! Not more scrubbing down”. I needn’t have worried the contents of the bucket were revealed when he handed it to me…

Dead mice and some day old chicks.

Being a herpetologist I’m fully conversant with both dietary offerings. Oh, if you don’t know what a herpetologist is, it’s a keeper of snakes. Did I just hear you cringe? Lol I love them and spiders but I digress.

He then proceeded to march through the raptor and carnivorous birds section, instructing me to throw food in for them. Bucket almost empty we returned it to the kitchen and then we made our way to the omnivorous birds and replenished their dishes with seeds and fruit.

By the time I had finished being marched through the final part of my day I was absolutely exhausted with the heat and so glad to get out of those overalls. I suggested to them that on hot days they give you a tabard or something equally sized to wear and not overalls.

Overall it was a thoroughly action packed day and I would recommend anyone try a Zoo Keeper Day.